MAM
Infinity Advertising appoints Satyendra Mallik as CEO
Mumbai: Infinity Advertising Services, an advertising and communication organisation, has appointed Satyendra Mallik as its new chief executive officer. Mallik is an industry veteran, with over two decades of experience and a proven track record of driving organizational growth and transformation across various sectors.
Infinity Advertising is among communication agencies renowned for its creativity and strategic prowess. With over two and a half decades in the industry, Infinity has built a strong reputation as a trusted partner to both government and corporate clients.
Mallik’s appointment heralds a new chapter for Infinity, determined to expand its global reach by fostering strategic international partnerships. His vision is set to propel Infinity to new heights of success, creating exciting opportunities and value addition for clients, partners and stakeholders alike.
“We are thrilled to welcome Satyendra Mallik in Infinity family,” said Infinity managing director Ajay Adlakha. “His exceptional leadership skills, coupled with his extensive experience across various industries, make him the ideal to lead Infinity into its next phase of growth.”
Mallik’s impressive career journey has seen him excel in various sectors spanning across geographies, including consumer electronics, mobile, automobile, IT/ITES and consumer products. His deep understanding of the Market, Consumer behaviour, Business Processes and technology has earned him a reputation as a champion in enhancing organizational effectiveness and efficiency both at the topline and bottom-line levels.
Previously, he has served in leadership capacities at several distinguished organizations, including Eastmen Auto & Power Ltd, Intex, Trident Group, Hero Group, and Salora, among others.
Commenting on his new role, Mallik expressed his enthusiasm for the journey ahead “I am filled with gratitude to assume the role of CEO at Infinity, and I am excited about the opportunity to steer such a dynamic and forward-thinking organization.” He continued, “With this ambitious team, I am sure that we will realize our ambitious objectives and persist in delivering unparalleled value to our esteemed clients.”
With a keen focus on exploring new horizons, Infinity is fully committed to its latest venture, Content Foundry, a state of art having the capability to churn out high-quality podcast, video and static content in no time. Content Foundry represents the vanguard of Infinity’s next generation, fueled by youthful energy. Satyendra Mallik, with his wealth of experience, stands poised to propel Content Foundry to unprecedented heights.
By capitalizing on emerging opportunities and revolutionizing content creation, Content Foundry embodies a forward-thinking approach and commitment to excellence.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
